Ellsworth Kalas Explained
J. Ellsworth Kalas (February 14, 1923 – November 12, 2015) was a president and a professor of Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He also served as pastor for 38 years in the Wisconsin and Ohio Conferences of the United Methodist Church and was associated for 5 years with the World Methodist Council.
Education and career
Kalas obtained his Bachelor of Science at University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1951; his Bachelor of Divinity at Garrett Theological Seminary in 1954; and did additional graduate studies at University of Wisconsin–Madison (1954–1955), and Harvard University (1955–1956). Dr. Kalas also held honorary degrees from Lawrence University, Asbury Theological Seminary, and Kentucky Wesleyan College.
Kalas' tenure with Asbury began in 1993 and he had taught Preaching there since 2000. He was the author of multiple Bible Studies published by the United Methodist Publishing House as well as a groundbreaking study called "Christian Believer" which attempts to teach Methodist laity systematic theology.[1]
His addition to the field of homiletics is the concept of the Biographical Sermon, teaching a doctrine or biblical concept through the story of a real person's life. Biographical preaching can model methods for dealing with suffering and pain by telling the story of an exemplar's struggle with suffering and pain.
Death
Kalas died on November 12, 2015. He was 92, the same age as Asbury Seminary – both born in 1923.[2]
Works
Kalas authored over 35 different books and many additional published articles. As well as 13 adult study quarterlies for the United Methodist Publishing House.
Books
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . Parables from the Back Side: Bible stories with a twist . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 1992 . 978-0-687-30062-4 . 24467259 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . If Experience is Such a Good Teacher, Why do I keep repeating the course? . Nashville, TN . Dimensions for Living . 1994 . 978-0-687-18650-1 . 29468634 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Old Testament Stories from the Back Side . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 1995 . 978-0-687-00466-9 . 32199231 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . The Grand Sweep: 365 Days from Genesis Through Revelation . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 1996 . 978-0-687-72053-8 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . The Ten Commandments from the Back Side . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 1998 . 978-0-687-00524-6 . 37694194 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . The Thirteen Apostles . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2002 . 978-0-687-09721-0 . 48038107 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Preaching from the Soul: Insistent Observations on the Sacred Art . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2003 . 978-0-687-06630-8 . 50942065.
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Preaching about People: the power of biography . St. Louis, MO . Chalice Press . 2004 . 978-0-827-23002-6 . 55286280 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Preaching the Calendar: celebrating holidays and holy days . Louisville, KY . Westminster, John Knox Press . 2004 . 978-0-664-22714-2 . 53462180 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . More Parables from the Back Side . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2005 . 978-0-687-74041-3 . 56730143 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Grace in a Tree Stump: Old Testament stories of God's love . Louisville, KY . Westminster, John Knox Press . 2005 . 978-0-664-22900-9 . 56413575 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Longing to Pray: how the Psalms teach us to talk with God . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2006 . 978-0-687-49512-2 . 62118269 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Strong Was Her Faith: Women of the New Testament . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2007 . 978-0-687-64121-5 . 71507217 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . All Creation Sings: the voice of God in nature . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2010 . 978-1-426-70791-9 . 457160571 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Genesis . Immersion Bible Studies . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2011 . 978-1-426-71623-2 . 707887006 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Faith from the Back Side: a different take on what it means to believe . Back Side Series . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2011 . 978-1-426-74173-9 . 721883754 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . I Love Growing Older, but I'll never grow old . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2013 . 978-1-426-75592-7 . 811964723 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Preaching in an Age of Distraction . Downers Grove, IL . IVP Books . 2014 . 978-0-830-84110-3 . 871219537 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . Heroes, Rogues, and the Rest: lives that tell the story of the Bible . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2014 . 978-1-426-77562-8 . 859232121 .
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . The Parables of Paul: the master of the metaphor . Nashville, TN . Abingdon Press . 2015 . 9781630882532 . 900867812 .
Chapters
- Book: Kalas . J. Ellsworth . 3 . The Quest for Effective Biblical Preaching . Witherington III . Ben . Ben Witherington III . Incandescence: Light Shed through the Word . Grand Rapids, MI . Eerdmans . 2006 . 978-0-802-83208-5 . 63703828 . xvi- .
Notes and References
- Web site: Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas . Asbury Theological Seminary . 14 November 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117015529/http://asburyseminary.edu/person/dr-j-ellsworth-kalas/ . 17 November 2015 .
- Web site: Passing of Dr. J. Ellsworth Kalas. Asbury Theological Seminary. 12 November 2015 . 14 November 2015.